Recipe Manuscript

Høns Med Cottin

Name: Høns Med Cottin
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H15M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 125 g short-grain rice (e.g., pudding or arborio rice); 1.75 liters whole milk; 30-40 g blanched sweet almonds, finely sliced; 60 g unsalted butter, plus extra for clarifying; 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 5 g (1 teaspoon) white sugar; 4 large eggs; 500-600 g cooked chicken meat (poached, cooled, and sliced or shredded); 20 g flour (for sauce thickening); 20 g butter (for roux); 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or mild curry powder; Salt, to taste; 1 egg (beaten, for glazing); 50 g crushed dry toast or breadcrumbs

"Chicken With Cottin"

1884

From the treasured pages of Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Intermediate Dinner Lunch

Original Recipe • 1884

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Høns Med Cottin

"Til ¼ Pund skoldede Risengryn tages 3 Pint Mælk; det koges til Grød, der ikke maa være for vel kogt, og deri koges en haandfuld fintskaarne søde Mandler. Heri omrøres 2 Unzer Smør, Muskatblomme og en Theske hvidt Sukker. Naar det er koldt, kommes 4 Æg i. Naar Hønsekjød er halvfogt og koldt, lægges det i Fad som til Postei. Saucen, der da blot er tillavet med en Jævning og med Muskat, Cajenne eller Kari, hældes kold over, og saa stryges Cottinen over 2 Fingre tyk, og et Hul gjøres i Midten for Dampen. Det overstryges med slagne Æg, og bestrøes med stødte Tvebakker. Ovnen maa ikke være hedere end til Hvedebrød, og naar det har staaet, til det er fastnet lidt ovenpaa, tages det frem i Døren, og overgydes med 3 a 4 Skeer afklaret i Smør. Naar man kan formode, at Kjødet er mørt, er ogsaa Cottinen stegt."

English Translation

"For 1/4 pound blanched rice grains, take 3 pints of milk; this is cooked into a porridge that must not be overcooked, and into this is cooked a handful of finely chopped sweet almonds. Into this, stir 2 ounces of butter, nutmeg, and a teaspoon of white sugar. When it is cold, 4 eggs are added. When the chicken meat is half cooked and cold, lay it in a dish as for a pie. The sauce, which is simply prepared with a thickener and with nutmeg, cayenne, or curry, is poured over cold, and then the cottin is spread on top to a thickness of 2 fingers, and a hole is made in the middle for the steam. It is brushed over with beaten eggs, and sprinkled with crushed rusks. The oven should not be hotter than for wheat bread, and when it has stood until it has set a little on top, take it out to the oven door, and pour over 3 to 4 tablespoons clarified butter. When it is presumed that the meat is tender, the cottin is also cooked."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the imperative, listing actions rather than giving step-by-step timing or detailed measurements by modern standards. Units such as 'pund', 'pint', and 'unzer' reflect local Norwegian-Danish and continental European measuring systems of the time ('pund' ~ 500 g, 'unzer' ~ 30 g, 'pint' ~ 0.88 liters). Spelling and phrasing reflect Danish in the mid-19th century: words like 'Mælk' for 'milk', 'Høns' for 'chicken', and 'Muskatblomme' for 'nutmeg'. Recipes from this era assume a certain confidence and knowledge in the cook: for example, instructions like 'røre til det er koldt' (stir until cold) presuppose experience with texture and temperature. The word 'Cottin' is a local term for the rice-almond mixture, akin to a sweet rice soufflé.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog (1884)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1884

Publisher

"Den Norskdanske boghandels" forlag

Background

A delightful journey through Danish culinary traditions as they flourished in Chicago at the end of the 19th century, this book offers a tasteful collection of recipes and practical cookery wisdom for both the adventurous and the nostalgic gourmand.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from an 1884 Norwegian-Danish cookbook published in Chicago, a time when many Scandinavians had emigrated to America and were eager to preserve their culinary traditions. The recipe itself represents a hybrid of old-world frugality and new-world availability, using rice, almonds, and chicken in a way that echoes both festive celebration and homey comfort. The dish blends sweet notes from almonds, rice, and a touch of sugar with savory chicken and warming spices, showing the influence of both local Scandinavian traditions and broader European tastes. This was the kind of festive meal that might have been served for a Sunday dinner or holiday feast, and it reflects the desire to recreate home flavors far from Norway or Denmark.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late 19th century, cooks would have used a large pot for boiling rice and a small saucepan for making the sauce, both over a wood- or coal-fired stove. Mixing would be done with wooden spoons, and almonds sliced by hand with a sharp knife. Baking was done in a heavy cast-iron or tin oven, heated to a moderate 'bread-baking' temperature. Finer details, like the grating of nutmeg and the clarifying of butter, would have involved simple hand tools: a nutmeg grater and a small pan for melting and straining butter. For the bread crumbs, stale bread would be pounded or grated by hand.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 15 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

4.5 oz short-grain rice (e.g., pudding or arborio rice)
7.4 cups (1.9 quarts) whole milk
1 to 1.5 oz blanched sweet almonds, finely sliced
2 oz (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus extra for clarifying
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon white sugar
4 large eggs
18 to 21 oz cooked chicken meat (poached, cooled, and sliced or shredded)
0.7 oz (about 3 tablespoons) flour (for sauce thickening)
0.7 oz (about 1.5 tablespoons) butter (for roux)
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or mild curry powder
Salt, to taste
1 egg (beaten, for glazing)
1.75 oz crushed dry toast or breadcrumbs

Instructions

To make this 19th-century Danish-Norwegian chicken dish, start by preparing a rice pudding base.
Take 4.5 ounces of scalded short-grain rice and cook it gently with about 7.4 cups (1.9 quarts) of whole milk until it’s thickened but not fully set.
Stir in a generous handful (1 to 1.5 ounces) of finely sliced sweet almonds.
When the mixture is thick, add 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) of butter, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and about 1 teaspoon of white sugar.
Let this mixture cool to room temperature.
Then beat in 4 large eggs.
Meanwhile, boil or poach chicken meat until it’s partly cooked, let it cool, then layer it in a baking dish as you would for a pie.
Make a simple sauce using a roux (flour and butter thickening), seasoned with nutmeg and a little cayenne pepper or curry powder, then pour this cool sauce over the chicken.
Spread your cooled almond rice mixture (referred to as the 'Cottin') on top about two fingers thick, making a small hole in the center for steam to escape.
Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle crushed dry toast or breadcrumbs on top.
Bake at roughly 350°F (like baking white bread) until set and golden.
After it has firmed up a bit, drizzle with 3 to 4 tablespoons of clarified butter, then continue baking until the chicken is tender and the topping is fragrant.

Estimated Calories

540 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It usually takes about 30 minutes to prep the ingredients for this dish. Cooking takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, since you need to simmer the rice, make the roux, and then bake it until golden. The recipe makes enough for 6 big servings, with each serving having around 540 calories.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.